Mar 20, 2004 Music North Via by North Via (Review) North Via manages to separate themselves from many of the post-rock/instrumental bands that would normally be considered their peers.
Mar 7, 2004 Music Should or The Drawing Boarded Colour Target Future Theater Wars by Arkitekchur (Review) Shimmering, beautiful post-rock shot through with darkness and anxiety.
Feb 11, 2004 Music In One-Hundred Years The Prize Will Be Forgotten by The Potomac Accord (Review) The Potomac Accord manage to twist a number of post-rock clichés by using piano as a lead instrument.
Feb 1, 2004 Music Clear Horizon by Clear Horizon (Review) These songs rarely feel as compelling as it seems like they should be.
Jan 25, 2004 Music Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts by M83 (Review) I wish I could find it more lovely, but it all feels a bit too fake for my tastes.
Jan 20, 2004 Music Goodbye Enemy Airship The Landlord Is Dead by Do Make Say Think (Review) An utterly compelling release and one that further establishes and cements the band’s reputation with each listen.
Jan 20, 2004 Music Telegraphs in Negative/Mouths Trapped in Static by Set Fire To Flames (Review) Set Fire to Flames really manages to capture the sound of human madness and fright.
Jan 20, 2004 Music The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place by Explosions In The Sky (Review) The post-rock band smooths out their sound… but that’s not necessarily a good thing.
Jan 3, 2004 Music Until He Finds Us by Timonium (Review) On Until He Finds Us, Timonium don’t re-write the Book of Slowcore so much as edit it subtly.
Dec 5, 2003 Music Real Hair by Rollerball (Review) When you think you have the album figured out, the band seems content on frustrating your expectations.
Dec 5, 2003 Music For Barbara Lee by Seekonk (Review) Much like the slowly building nature of its songs, I found my appreciation inexorably growing with each listen.
Oct 21, 2003 Music Destroyalldreamers by Destroyalldreamers (Review) Their music proves to be quite a bit more than just the sum of their obvious influences and inspirations.
Oct 21, 2003 Music Winter Hymn Country Hymn Secret Hymn by Do Make Say Think (Review) Their most unpredictable and heaviest album to date.
Sep 6, 2003 Music Into Forever by Icebreaker International, Manual (Review) There’s a sense of wonder here, as if these songs were composed by starry-eyed children inspired by their first planetarium visit.
Aug 10, 2003 Music …For and Acted Upon Through Diversions by Emery Reel (Review) Though far from original, Emery Reel does dive into their music with quite a bit of gusto.
Jul 4, 2003 Music A Remote View by Sans Arc (Review) The overall feel I get from Sans Arc’s music is that of a person so indebted to their influences that it’s almost a hindrance.
Jul 4, 2003 Music Happy Songs for Happy People by Mogwai (Review) Mogwai proves they’re still very capable of taking familiar sounds and crafting beautiful, compelling music with them.
Jun 26, 2003 Music A Poem for M by Sphyr (Review) Combines hip hop-infused slam poetry with a mellowed-out post-rock rhythm section and a classical guitarist.
Jun 26, 2003 Music S.T.R.E.E.T. D.A.D. by Out Hud (Review) Holy crap… did I just use “fun, funky vibe” to describe a Kranky release?
Jun 26, 2003 Music Minor Shadows by 1 Mile North (Review) There’s a genuine soul residing in this music, a gentle presence that is always welcome.